Tuesday 16 September 1662

Up and to my workmen, and then to the office, and there we sat till noon; then to the Exchange, and in my way met with the housekeeper of this office, and he did give me so good an account of my chamber in my house about which I am so much troubled that I am well at ease in my mind. At my office all the afternoon alone. In the evening Sir J. M. and I walked together a good while in the garden, very pleasant, and takes no notice that he do design any further trouble to me about my house. At night eat a bit of bread and cheese, and so to my lodgings and to bed, my mind ill at ease for these particulars: my house in dirt, and like to lose my best chamber. My wife writes me from the country that she is not pleased there with my father nor mother, nor any of her servants, and that my boy is turned a very rogue. I have 30l. to pay to the cavaliers: then a doubt about my being forced to leave all my business here, when I am called to the court at Brampton; and lastly, my law businesses, which vex me to my heart what I shall be able to do next term, which is near at hand.

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L&M note: "By a recent act (14 Car. II c. 8) £60,000 was to be raised for distribution among indigent officers who had served in the King’s forces, by a levy on office-holders whose income was over £5 p.a. cf. [March 7]. For Pepys’s assessment see [15 December].”

Interesting entry...A hopeful start and then a quick midmonth summary of his woes. I get the impression he wrote (or jotted notes for) the first part about early evening after his walk with Sir John and broke off, then the bad news came piling in, leading to the dismal summing up.

Methinks Elizabeth is just bored, bored, bored and thus inclined to find everything troublesome or wearisome. As my mother used to say "I could fight with a feather!"."all my business here" - Sam is very uneasy about leaving the office, isn't he? He doesn't trust the Sir Williams not to undo all the advantages he has accrued or make contracts to their own betterment whilst he is away on legal business about the inheritance. No-one will have an eye to his interests here, unless it be Will, but maybe he would travel with Sam.

That seems to be consistent with the mood of this day's entry: when with others, his mood brighten; when alone, it darkens, esp. as he takes inventory of what troubles him -- as Robert Gertz has noted.

I would imagine John and Margaret run a tight ship at Brampton...And perhaps do not look upon calls to Bess by the dashing Ferrers and (eager I'm sure to be a witness to anything likely to cause Sam discomfort later) Creed, with ease.

Upon Report, made by the Lord Bruce, from the Committee appointed to receive Proposals for the further Supply of such suffering Persons as had faithfully served his Majesty, or his Royal Father;

Ordered, That his Majesty be attended, and humbly moved to give Leave to this House, to name Commissioners to dispose and distribute the Threescore thousand Pounds, Part of the Eighteen Months Assessment intended for the Persons that have faithfully served his Majesty's Royal Father, or his Majesty, and that are in most Want: And the Lord Bruce, Mr. John Ashburnham, Colonel Legg, Colonel Arundell, Colonel Sam. Sandis, and Mr. Clifford, are to attend his Majesty, to receive his Pleasure herein.http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?co...